Tie stay clips and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

Tie stay clips are disclosed. Methods of making and using tie stay clips are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of using a tie stay clip, said method comprising:
 clamping a rear portion of a tie to a front portion of a tie via the tie stay clip so that a portion of a front surface of the rear portion of the tie is temporarily secured to and held adjacent to a portion of a rear surface of the front portion of the tie, wherein the tie stay clip has an uppermost outer major surface and a lowermost outer major surface, and comprises:
 a first member forming the uppermost outer major surface and having a first member first end and a first member second end opposite the first member first end; 
 a second member pivotably connected to the first member along a length of the first member between the first member first and second ends, the second member forming the lowermost outer major surface and having a second member first end and a second member second end opposite the second member first end, and 
 a spring member positioned between the first and second members, the spring member being operatively adapted to apply a spring pressure onto the first and second members so as to force an inner surface of the first member second end toward an inner surface of the second member second end 
 
 wherein said clamping step comprises:
 applying pressure onto at least one of the first member first end and the second member first end so as to separate the inner surface of the first member second end from the inner surface of the second member second end and form a gap therebetween; 
 positioning (i) the rear portion of the tie and (ii) a vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie within the gap by:
 selecting a vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie located between two separate stitches operatively adapted to attach a left-hand vertically extending front portion of the tie to a righthand vertically extending front portion of the tie; and 
 extending the first member second end or the second member second end of the tie stay clip between the two separate stitches so that the inner surface of the first member second end or the inner surface of the second member second end abuts an interior surface of the vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie; and 
 releasing the pressure on the first member first end or the second member second end so as to allow the inner surface of the first member second end and the inner surface of the second member second end to move towards one another and clamp therebetween (i) a portion of the rear portion of the tie and (ii) a portion of the vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said positioning step further comprises:
 positioning (i) the rear portion of the tie between (ii) the vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie and (iii) a vertically extending seam portion of a shirt within the gap; and said releasing step results in (1) a portion of the vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie, (2) a portion of the rear portion of the tie, and (3) a portion of the vertically extending seam portion of the shirt being clamped between the inner surface of the first member second end and the inner surface of the second member second end. 
 
     
     
       3. A method of securing a rear portion of a tie to a rear surface of a front portion of a tie, said method comprising:
 providing a tie stay clip having an uppermost outer major surface and a lowermost outer major surface, wherein the tie stay clip comprises:
 a first member forming the uppermost outer major surface and having a first member first end and a first member second end opposite the first member first end; 
 a second member pivotably connected to the first member along a length of the first member between the first member first and second ends, the second member forming the lowermost outer major surface and having a second member first end and a second member second end opposite the second member first end, and 
 a spring member positioned between the first and second members, the spring member being operatively adapted to apply a spring pressure onto the first and second members so as to force an inner surface of the first member second end toward an inner surface of the second member second end; 
 
 applying pressure onto at least one of the first member first end and the second member first end so as to separate the inner surface of the first member second end from the inner surface of the second member second end and form a gap therebetween; 
 positioning (i) the rear portion of the tie and (ii) a vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie within the gap; 
 selecting a vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie located between two separate stitches operatively adapted to attach a left-hand vertically extending front portion of the tie to a righthand vertically extending front portion of the tie; 
 extending the first member second end or the second member second end of the tie stay clip between the two separate stitches so that the inner surface of the first member second end or the inner surface of the second member second end abuts an interior surface of the vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie; and 
 releasing the pressure on the first member first end or the second member second end so as to allow the inner surface of the first member second end and the inner surface of the second member second end to move towards one another and clamp therebetween (i) a portion of the rear portion of the tie and (ii) a portion of the vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie so as to temporarily secure the rear portion of the tie to the rear surface of the front portion of the tie. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein said positioning step further comprises:
 positioning (i) the rear portion of the tie between (ii) the vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie and (iii) a vertically extending seam portion of a shirt within the gap; and said releasing step results in (1) a portion of the vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie, (2) a portion of the rear portion of the tie, and (3) a portion of the vertically extending seam portion of the shirt being clamped between the inner surface of the first member second end and the inner surface of the second member second end. 
 
     
     
       5. In combination a tie and a tie stay clip, said tie stay clip comprising:
 a first member forming an uppermost outer major surface of said tie stay clip and having a first member first end and a first member second end; 
 a second member pivotably connected to said first member along a length of said first member between said first member first and second ends, said second member forming a lowermost outer major surface of said tie stay clip and having a second member first end and a second member second end; and 
 a spring member positioned between said first and second members, said spring member being operatively adapted to apply a spring pressure onto said first and second members so as to force an inner surface of said first member second end toward an inner surface of said second member second end; 
 wherein said first member second end or said second member second end of said tie stay clip extends between two separate stitches of said tie so that said inner surface of said first member second end or said inner surface of said second member second end abuts an interior surface of a vertically extending seam portion of a front portion of said tie. 
 
     
     
       6. The combination of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of (i) said inner surface of said first member second end and (ii) said inner surface of said second member second end comprises teeth extending along said inner surface. 
     
     
       7. The combination of  claim 6 , wherein each of (i) said inner surface of said first member second end and (ii) said inner surface of said second member second end comprises teeth extending along said inner surfaces. 
     
     
       8. The combination of  claim 5 , wherein said tie stay clip further comprises (1) a first outermost surface portion extending along said uppermost outer major surface from (i) a location proximate a connection point between said first member and said second member to (ii) a tip of said first member second end, (2) a second outermost surface portion extending along said uppermost outer major surface from (i) a location proximate a connection point between said first member and said second member to (ii) a tip of said first member first end, and (3) one or more attachment members sized to fit within an outer periphery of said first outermost surface portion or said second outermost surface portion, said one or more attachment members being attachable to said first outermost surface portion or said second outermost surface portion. 
     
     
       9. The combination of  claim 8 , wherein said one or more attachment members are temporarily attachable to said first outermost surface portion or said second outermost surface portion via magnetism. 
     
     
       10. The combination of  claim 8 , wherein said one or more attachment members are permanently attached to said first outermost surface portion or said second outermost surface portion via an adhesive or mechanical bond. 
     
     
       11. The combination of  claim 10 , wherein said tie stay clip consists of said first member, said second member, said spring member, said one or more attachment members, and said adhesive or mechanical bond. 
     
     
       12. The combination of  claim 8 , wherein said tie stay clip consists of said first member, said second member, said spring member, and said one or more attachment members. 
     
     
       13. The combination of  claim 5 , wherein said tie stay clip consists of said first member, said second member, and said spring member. 
     
     
       14. The combination of  claim 5 , wherein (i) a rear portion of the tie, and (ii) the vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie are positioned between said inner surface of said first member second end and said inner surface of said second member second end. 
     
     
       15. The combination of  claim 5 , further comprising a shirt, wherein (i) a rear portion of the tie, (ii) the vertically extending seam portion of the front portion of the tie, and (iii) a vertically extending seam portion of the shirt are positioned between said inner surface of said first member second end and said inner surface of said second member second end.